Draft and buffing mechanism.



PATENTED APR. 19, 1904. F. W. RITTER, JR. DRAFT AND BUFFING M'ECHANISM.

APPLIoATIoN FILED JAN. 22, 1904.

N0 IODEL.

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I UNITED STATES Patented April 19, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERIC WVM. RITTER, JR., OF VASHINGTON GROVE, MARYLAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 757,841, dated April19, 1904.

Application filed January 22, 1904. Serial No. 190,253. (No modell) T0all whom, it may concern:

J r., a citizen of the United States, residing at Vashington Grove,inthe county of Montgomery and State of Maryland, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Draft and Bufling Mechanism; and I herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of thesame, reference being had to the accompanying' drawings, in whichdFigure l is a horizontal central section of a mechanism embodying' myinvention shown as adapted for use as the draft-gear of a railway-car, aportion of the coupler, portions of the draft-sills, and the usualconnections and attachments being also illustrated.V Fig. 2 is .atransverse. vertical central section taken on the line 2 2, Fig. I, thedraft-sills omitted. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of thefriction-followers; Fig. l is a perspective view of one of thefriction-spring' abutments.V Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showinga modification of my inventionin its application to railway-draftappliances wherein the function of the casing inclosing the internalfriction elements is performed by the cheek-plates and the followers aremerged with the friction elements. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. l,showing' a further modification of my invention.

Like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur. y

My invention relates to the construction of draft and of buflingmechanisms, or of Adraft and bufling mechanism, in which elastic orreactive resistances are combined with inelastic or non-reactiveresistances, to the end that the ultimate resisting capacity of thedevice may be augmented and at the same time the reaction of theresilient resistance positively decreased and controlled.

, More particularly, my invention is of that class of devices whereinsprings constitute the reactive or elastic resistance, and wherein africtional resistance is employed as the inelastic or non-reactiveresistance, the reactive resistance inducing the non-reactiveresistance, which is thereby rendered proportional to said reactiveresistance.

To accomplish the results hereinbefore specified, I combine with areactive-resistance element friction elements having both frictional andfrictionless engagement with contacting Jfriction elements, saidcontacting friction elements engaging said first-named friction elementsin such manner that the friction induced is proportional to the reactiveresistance and both abutment-pressures of the reactive resistance areutilized, and such a construction embodies one feature of my invention.

A second feature of my invention consists in the combination, withareactive-resistance element, of a plurality of frictional-resistanceelements between which the reactive-resistance element is interposed anda friction element which coacts with the first-named friction elementsand on which one of said firstnamed friction elements is seated. Y Thereare other minor features of invention, all as will hereinafter morefully appear.

I will now proceed to describe my invention more fully, so that othersskilled in the art to which it appertains may apply the same.

In the principal figures of the drawings chosen to illustrate myinvention, 1 is a spring or resilient element which is seated on thewedge friction elements 2 2, the inclined faces 2 2 thereof engagingcorrespondingly-inclined faces 3L 3 of the friction elements 3 3 andbeing relatively fixed with respect thereto and the faces 2b 21 thereofengaging and being relatively movable with respect to thecorrespondingly-formed portions 3b 3b of said friction elements 3 3,theelements 2 2 and 3 3 being thus arranged in sets or clusters ofrelatively fixed elements.

All of the foregoing instrumentalities are housed or enveloped by theexternal, casing 4,.which frictionally coacts with the outer frictionelements 3 3 and which may be either fixed or movable, as desired.

The cheek-plates 5 5, which are secured to the draft-sills in the usualand well-known manner, are each provided with stops 5 5, which restrictor limit the outward movement of the followers 6 6 when the same areemployed, said followers abutting the outer ends of the frictionelements 3 3. y

The portion 3b of the friction element 3 is preferably provided with thecurved portion 3, whereby the spring is retained in aline- IOO ment, andwith the stiffening-ribs 31 3l and 3e, which fit into correspondingdepressions, grooves, or guideways in the contacting member, and therebyaid in maintaining the proper relation of the several parts; but, ifdesired, such ribs and the corresponding grooves may be omitted.

The end of the shank of the coupler 7, by which the load is applied tothe mechanism, abuts the forward follower 6 and has secured thereto inthe usual manner the well-known yoke 8, which passes around the casing 4and the rear follower 6.

The construction shown in the modification Fig. 5 is substantially thesame as that shown in the principal figures of the drawings in respectof the spring or reactive resistance element 9 andA the frictionelements 10 10 and 11 11; but the casing 4, which surrounds or envelopsthe friction elements i'n the principal figures of the drawings, is hereomitted, and the cheek-plates 12 12 perform the frictional function ofsuch external or enveloping cas ing. The followers 6 6 are also omitted,and the friction elements 1l 11 directly engage the stops 12 12 of thecheek-plates 12 12, thus performing the function of followers. Thecoupler 13 abuts the forward friction element 11, and the yoke 14 bearsagainst the corresponding rear friction element.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings is shown a further modification of myinvention, wherein the spring 15, casing 22, followers 19 19,cheekplates 18 18, having the stops 18 18, coupler 20, and yoke 21 are in allsubstantial respects like the corresponding parts heretofore described.In this modification, however, the extensions corresponding ,to theportion 3b of the friction element 3 of the principal figures of thedrawings are made a portion of the inner friction members 17 17, whichbear against the spring, the outer friction elements 16 16A being madesimilar to the friction elements 2-2, heretofore described.

The construction being substantially such as that ofthe principalfigures of the drawings, the operation of the device will be as follows:Draft being madc upon the draw-bar or coupler 7, the yoke 8 will cause aforward travel of the rear follower 6, thus causing a correspondinglongitudinal displacement of the rear set of friction elements 2 and3,which by reason of the fact that thev forward follower 6 and forwardfriction elements 2 and 3 are prevented from retreat by the stops 5 5 ofthe cheek-plates 5 5 results in a relative movement lineally of saidsets-of elements 2 and 3 and a compression of the spring or resilientelement 1. In this operation of the device friction is developed by theextended movement of the rear friction element 2 in contact with theportion 3b ofthe forward friction element 3 and also by the movement ofthe portion 3b of the rear friction element in contact with the forwardfriction element spectively, which change the direction of thrust of theinterposed spring 1, both abutment reactions of the spring being thusutilized to induce pressure between frictionallyengaging elements.

In a bufiing operation of the device which is similar to its operationin draft the coupler 7 forces the forward follower 6 and the forwardfriction elements 2 and '3 rearwardly, and the rear follower 6 and rearfriction elements 2 and 3 being constrained to remain stationary byreason of the rear stops 5 5 of the cheek-plates the spring iscompressed and friction is developed between the forward frictionelement 2 and the portion 3b of the rear friction element 3 and alsobetween the portion 3b of the forward friction element 3 and theexternal casing 4 and rear friction element 2. with which itfrictionally engages.

It is to be noted that both the abutment reactions or thrusts of thespring upon both its abutments are simultaneously utilized to createpressure normal to the several elements in frictional engagement andbetween which friction is generated, thereby largely increasing thefriction, such friction being a function of the normal pressure, andthat this re- -I sult is attained in such manner that a springcompressible in a line parallel to that of the movement of the couplerand in increments equal to the displacement thereof may be employed, andthat the friction elements may also have a similar movement.

When a draft strain is applied to the coupler 13 of the modificationshown in Fig. 5, the rear end of the yoke 14 `causes a forward linealtranslation of the rear friction element 11 and the rear frictionelement 10, seated thereon, and as. the forward friction element 11 andits adjacent friction element 10 are prevented from retreating by reasonof the engagement of the said forward friction element 11 with theforward stops 12 12 of the cheek-plates 12 12 the spring 9 is compressedand friction is induced between the rear friction element 10 and thecontacting portion of the forward friction element 11 and also betweenthe rear vfriction element 11 and the forward friction element 10 andhousing or casing 12, the pressure between the several relatively movingcontacting friction elements being due to the inclined contacting facesof the elements 10 10 and 11 11, as previously explained.

The buffing operation of the device shown in the modification is similarto its action in draft, the forward friction elements 10 and `11 actingin the manner already described in reference to the rear frictionelements 10 and 11, and vice versa.

The mechanism of such a device as illus- IOO IIO

trated in the modification Fig. 6 operates in a manner similar to thatof the structures already described, as will readily be apparent.

If desired, the frictional mechanism herein shown and described may becombined with a simple preliminary spring resistance in a wellknownmanner, in which event the friction elements and the interposed springwould not be movable and eompressible, respectively, with a displacementequal to the draw-bar, but with a displacement equal to that of themember or part of the member by which the load or force is directlyapplied to the cluster or set of relatively fixed friction elements,(that end of the preliminary spring which is nearer the frictionmechanism,) and such a construction is intended to be within the scopeof the claims, as the addition of the well-known preliminary resistance-spring in no wise changes or modifies the operation and function of thecombinations hereinafter claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. In a draft and bufng mechanism, the combination with a frictionelement having an inclined face, of a relatively fixed friction elementengaging therewith, a friction element engaging said first-namedfriction element and relatively movable with respect thereto, saidfriction element having an inclined face, a friction element relativelyfixed with respect to said lastnamed friction element and relativelymovable with respect to said first-named relatively fixed frictionelement, and means whereby the relative movement of the frictionelements induces friction between said friction elements, substantiallyas and for the purposes specified.

2. In a draft and bufiing mechanism, the combination with a frictionelement having an inclined face, a relatively fixed friction elementhaving an inclined face, a friction element engaging said first-namedelement and being relatively movable with respect thereto,

'said friction element also having an inclined face, and means wherebyfriction is induced between the relatively movable friction elements,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. In a draft and bufling mechanism, the combination with a plurality ofrelatively movable friction elements having inclined faces, of afrietionelement engaged thereby, said friction element being relatively fixedwith respect to one and relatively movable with respect to another ofsaid first-named friction elements, and means whereby friction isinduced between the relatively movable friction elements, substantiallyas and for the purposes specified.

4. In a draft and buffing mechanism, the combination with a coaetingfriction element, of relatively movable sets of friction elements, eachset comprised of relatively fixed elements one of which frictionallyengages an element of another set of friction elements, and means forinducing friction between the frictionallyengaged elements,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. In a draft and bufling mechanism, the combination with an interposedspring, of relatively movable friction elements which engage each other,said friction elements having inclined faces and each being restrainedin its movement in one direction, of means whereby friction is inducedbetween the relatively movable friction elements, substantially as andfor the purposes specified.

6. In adraft and bufiing mechanism, the combination with an interposedresilient element, of relatively movable friction elements which engageeach other,said friction elements having inclined faces and beingmovable with a displacement equal to the displacement of theload-applying member, a load-applying member, and an external frictionelement coaeting with said first-named friction elements,substantiallypas and for the purposes specified.

7. In a draft and bufiing mechanism, the combination with a resilientelement, of friction elements which engage each other and which arerelatively movable with a displacement equal to the displacement of theloadapplying member, a load-applying member, and means whereby bothabutment reactions of the spring simultaneously induce pressure betweenthe relatively movable friction elements, substantially as and for thepurposes specified.

8. In a draft and bufiing mechanism, the combination with a spring, ofrelatively movable sets of friction elements, each sct comprised ofrelatively fixed elements one of which frictionally engages an elementof another set of friction elements, and means wherebyboth abutmentreactions of the spring simultaneously induce pressure between thefrictionally-engaged elements, substantially as and for the purposesspecified.

9. In a draft and bung mechanism, the

combination with a spring, of a coaeting friction element, a pluralityof friction elements relatively fixed with respect to each other, andmeans whereby both abutment reactions of the spring simultaneouslyinduce pressure between one of said relatively fixed friction ele,-

`ments and said coacting friction element, substantially as and for thepurposes specified.

10. In a draft and buffing mechanism, the combination with a spring, offriction elements seated on each end thereof, said friction elementshaving inclined faces, a friction element engaging therewith and beingrela-- tively fixed with respect to one and relatively movable withvrespect to another of said friction elements, said last-named-frictionelement also having an inclined face, and means for limiting the travelof said friction elements, substantially as and for the purposesspecified.

IOO

ITO

11. In a draft and bufiing mechanism, the combination with an interposedspring,of friction elements acted on thereby, said friction elementshaving inclined faces, friction elements having inclined faces whichengage the inclined faces of said first-named friction elements and alsofriction-faces relatively movable with respect to said first-namedfriction elements, and an external friction element engaging saidlast-named friction elements, substantially as and for the purposesspecified.

12. In a draft and bufng mechanism, the combination with an interposedspring,of friction elements acted on thereby, said friction elementshaving inclined faces, friction elements each of which engages saidfirst-named friction elements and which have inclined faces, means forlimiting the travel of said friction elements, and an external frictionelement, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

13. In a draftand bufng mechanism, the combination with frictionelements which are relatively movable lineally with a displacement equalto the displacement of the loadapplying member and which engage eachother, said friction elements having inclined faces, of an interposedspring, and means whereby pressure is induced between said frictionelements by both spring-abutment reactions, substantially as and for thepurposes specified. v

14:. In a draft and buffing mechanism, the combination with a spring, ofan external coacting friction element, a plurality of friction elementshaving inclined faces, said friction elements arranged in relativelymovable sets comprised of relatively fixed elements, the elements of oneset engaging the elements of another set, substantially as and for thepurposes specified.

15. In' a draft and buing mechanism, the combination of two frictionelements such as 2, two friction elements such as 3, said frictionelements 2 and 3 arranged'in clusters or sets in which the parts arerelatively fixed, the element 2 of one set frictionally engaging element3 of the other set, and means whereby the relative movement of thefriction elements induces friction between said friction elements,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, i

uary, 1904.

FREDERIC wM. RITTER, JR.

' presence of twowitnesses, this 22d day of Jani

